Today I Learned

Today I learned that a friend died.

His death was not unexpected. It was most certainly not welcome.

He lived with my wife and I from the end of November, 2019 until he got a job and apartment in March of 2020. He was doing well at work, but not so well at home.

I tried advising him of self help 'tools' I had acquired through my years of hard living. Tried to encourage his curiosity into how to help himself. 

See, for 30 years he had been married to his partner in life, Jack. 

But 2 years ago, it was over. 

He took it hard. 

He had been hospitalized 2-3 times since the divorce for attempts on his own life. 

Then came last October (2019). He contacted me on FB, in distress and even offered to pay for the ticket for me to come and get him out of a bad situation. This occurred over the course of a month so that I flew out on November 20, 2019.

Over the next few days, I realized that he was lost. He didn't know what to do as a single man in this world anymore. And I was in no way equipped to 'fix him', as he wished. 

I was able to be his friend. I hoped that would be enough... it wasn't.

All I know at this time is that he barricaded himself into his apartment some time in the last 2 weeks, and died.

And now, I have to get his cats.

"This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you"

Posted by Rick Northam on Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Addendum - Now we know his COD. 

His body shut down, literally. 

Extreme Cardiovascular Disease. 

No booze, no drugs, just high cholesterol. 

We'll never know why he barricaded himself in. 

He didn't quit, his body did.